Joe Biden has taken 40 percent of his first — and last — term as vacation. He's keeping up his average quite nicely, even when hurricanes ravage several states.

Biden is not alone, of course. This is a presidential election year; all House seats and a third of the Senate are up for voter review, too. So, the charges and grandiose (faux) promises are flying all over the place. 

How do you tell when politicians are lying? Their lips are moving.

Alas, we can only rely on the legacy media to fact-check one side of the political spectrum. Even then, their veracity offerings leave out key elements of context. Which, if you're honest about it, is another form of lying — by omission. So, media is in on the lying, too.

Now, we learn that two important agencies within the Biden-Harris administration have been lying to the public for some time about the results of their taxpayer-funded efforts. 

By chance, you understand, both of the dishonest uses of statistics just happen to fit the Democrat Party's key talking points as its members seek to install one of their own as the next commander in chief.

Here's one of the many ways honesty is so crucial for the proper functioning of our democracy. If a president is known as a serial liar, why should any of us believe anything that comes out of their mouth about sending our volunteer soldiers into a war? 

They did not volunteer to die for a lie.

That's the topic we explore in this week's audio commentary. As always, leave your own thoughts on this trouble in the Comments below.

Speaking of media, this week's Sunday column — It's Not That Hard for Media to Cheat; How to Fight Back — explores the numerous dishonest ways media have been trying to play Americans during this marathon election campaign. 

As someone who spent decades working within that institution before it went Woke, I try to explain how that happened and the damaging impacts on the body politic. I remain unsure how — or if — media can restore the public's trust going forward.

The previous Sunday column set a personal record for readership: A Jilted Joe Biden (and Jill) Wreak Their Quiet Revenge on Kamala Harris. The couple would never confess that. But the accumulating circumstantial evidence is pretty convincing.

You'll notice on the occasional days he does campaign for the party's ticket, Harris is nowhere near.

In these closing days of the two-year presidential campaign, much of the attention understandably focuses on Donald Trump and Kamala Harris and what the fast-moving polls indicate about Nov. 5 for a worried nation. 

In one surprising development, the genetically liberal Los Angeles Times has decided it will not endorse any candidate for president this time.

I lived in California a long time and worked as an insurgent on that newspaper's Editorial Board for some years. And I can report that Golden State voters do not need any instructions from a troubled liberal daily newspaper hemorrhaging millions to know who to vote for.

But since the paper did endorse Harris in the past, this has to be disappointing for her.

One of the more interesting developments in this election cycle involves the political evolution of Tulsi Gabbard. She's a former Representative from Hawaii, a combat veteran, and a devout Hindu who made a name for herself in the 2020 election cycle totally skewering Harris during a primary debate. Gabbard ultimately left the Democrat Party and now has been campaigning for Trump.

She made an interesting announcement there this week. 

Gabbard has been appearing regularly on TV and posting thoughtful online commentaries on current issues that make her an intriguing public personality to follow in coming months and possibly beyond.